With Christmas just around the corner we wanted to share some useful resources and articles to shed a bit more light on some common pregnancy considerations when it comes to travel, food safety and sun protection.
Here is a fantastic article, written by our midwife Penny, which outlines some
Diet
Ginger Molasses Cookies
Ginger is well recognised for nausea relief and if you’re suffering from that all day hangover vibe ‘morning sickness’, this might just be a great afternoon wholesome pick-me-up, with it's double hit of ginger.
Ingredients
175g wholemeal spelt flour1½ tsp baking powder1 tsp ground ginger½ tsp
Pregnancy Immunity Booster Root Juice
Why not try this yummy “Root Juice” to help boost your immunity in pregnancy. This juice will help increase energy, strengthen bones, help clear skin, balances metabolism and reduce inflammation and swelling.
.Ingredients
• 3-4 celery ribs with leaves• ½ beetroot with leaves• 2 large
Creamy Kale One Pot-Pasta
This quick pasta recipe is packed full of healthy vitamins needed in pregnancy.
Kale and broccoli (especially when cooked) are high in folic acid, which is important for the formation of healthy red blood cells.
You only 15 minutes, less than 10 ingredients, a sauce pan and a blender!
Folate/Folic Acid in Pregnancy
The terms folate and folic acid are interchangeable. Folic acid simply refers to the manufactured form of folate; for example, as it is found in vitamin supplements. Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin, obtained entirely through diet and/or supplementation.
Folate plays an important role in the
Nutrition in Pregnancy
There are many benefits to a nutritious diet for your baby, including increased immune functioning, mental alertness, and correct birth size.
In modern society - with so many processed foods readily available, women working through their pregnancies, and having babies later on in life- times have
Ginger Bread Men
Sharing a simple Gingerbread cookie recipe that is sugarfree and friendly for all of our diabetic mums. Fab all year round, but even more special at Christmas! You can’t beat the smell as they’re baking and then all that fun decorating them makes the recipe one of our family
Mini Christmas Puddings
This delicious festive treat is an easy recipe and only takes 10 minutes to prepare. It also contains nuts which are a good source of protein and iron in pregnancy.
Merry Christmas from the team at Dr Morris!
Ingredients
750g Christmas pudding or fruitcake (fruitcake is a lighter less rich
Low GI Hummus for Pregnancy
This healthy low GI Hummus makes for a tasty snack at any time of day. Hummus and fresh vegetables are also a great pre-dinner alternative to antipasto and soft cheeses in pregnancy.
Not only is Hummus delicious, but main ingredient chickpeas are rich in fibre, manganese, iron and are an
Eating Seafood in Pregnancy
Unless you are a vegan or vegetarian, it’s ideal to have seafood feature in your diet regularly! This may include white fish, pink/oily fish and shellfish such as prawns, lobster, bugs as well as scallops and mussels. Eating seafood provides a valuable source of protein, B vitamins, iron, zinc and
Supplements
A frequently asked question is “do I need to take supplements?” It is often suggested that many women of childbearing age are not meeting the recommended guidelines for healthy eating.
In pregnancy, there is an increased need for many vitamins and minerals. The increase for some vitamins is minimal.
Low GI Banana Loaf for Pregnancy
Low GI foods can help maintain a better blood sugar and insulin control, increase your energy and improve your mood.
This is a healthy alternative to a regular banana bread and a great morning tea or breakfast snack in pregnancy.
Ingredients
¼ cup all bran½ cup skim milk1 cup sifted
Thai Beef Salad
Iron is one of the best ways to keep your blood healthy and also boost your immune system. Both necessary during pregnancy. This beautiful Thai Beef Salad, rich in leafy greens is packed with Iron and Folate which is good for healthy cell production and will help minimise the risk of neural tube
Non-Alcoholic Fruit Punch
Enjoy your Christmas and holiday celebrations with a delicious glass of pregnancy friendly fruit punch. This light and refreshing punch makes a great alcohol free alternative for the festive season and is so simple to make.
Ingredients
• 2 litres of grape juice
• 1 bottle of
Pregnancy Probiotic Smoothie
As winter has finally come to an end and the weather is starting to heat up, why not whip up a tasty pregnancy probiotic smoothie.
Not only is this smoothie a delicious treat, but it is rich in Vitamins C, B6, antioxidants, omega 3
and Lactobacillus Acidophilus.
Ingredients:
¾ cup of plain
Probiotics in Pregnancy
Probiotics are living microorganisms, essentially good bacteria and yeasts that are helpful for maintaining balance in your digestive system and immune system. Our bodies are full of bacteria, both good and bad, and probiotics are similar to the good bacteria found in the human gut. We are born with
Sweet Potato Minestrone Soup
With the cooler weather approaching, here is a healthy diabetic friendly soup recipe that is nutritional for both mother and baby.
Perfect for an evening meal and to reheat for work the next day. Enjoy!
Sweet Potato Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
•1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
•3/4 cup diced
Coconut and Pumpkin Seed Smoothie
This smoothie is packed full of vitamins and minerals to help boost one’s mood and help fight off feelings of anxiety.
Pumpkin seeds are excellent brain food loaded with zinc (helping alleviate symptoms of depression by regulating copper levels).
Avocados are rich in potassium great for supporting
Peanut Choc Lactation Bliss Balls
This super easy non bake recipe is great for an energy boost and healthy milk supply. The three main ingredients which we know are important in boosting breast milk supply are brewers yeast, flaxseed and oats.
Ingredients
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon
Chicken and Vegetable Curry with Basmati Rice
Gabriel Gaté - Recipe for Diabetes. ( Gluten/ Lactose Free )
Ingredients.
1 brown onion chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 piece ginger ( 2cm piece )
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons curry powder
8 skinless chicken pieces on the
Date and Banana Flapjacks
Wanting to include dates in your pregnancy diet? Why not try these delicious Date and Banana Flapjacks.
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
25 mins
Total time
35 mins
These soft baked flapjacks are sweetened with dates and banana, and packed with wholesome oats, buckwheat and quinoa, making them the
The Date Fruit – A Nutritious Powerhouse
The Date – A Nutritious Powerhouse.
The date fruit comes from the date palm, a tree found in the Middle East and also native to North Africa. It is believed that dates originated in Mesopotamia (now Iraq) around 3,500 BC.
Dates come in a wide variety, and all are unique in flavour, size and
Umeboshi & Ginger Tea
Umeboshi plum is a pickled plum related to the apricot that is a specific Japanese remedy for nausea and digestive complaints. The alkaline properties of umeboshi plum neutralise body acids, aid in digestion and purify and cleanse the blood.
This recipe uses umeboshi plums to make a tea that is
Warming Turmeric Tonic
This is a delicious and relaxing bedtime drink. Ideal to calm the mind and warm the body in preparation for a deep sleep.
The turmeric adds a warming touch and the honey soothes the throat and sets the perfect balance to the nutty taste of the milk.
Ingredients
250ml of cashew milk (you can use
Anti-Inflammatory Fruit Salad
Many delicious fruits can aid in the relief of inflammatory conditions such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
This tasty fruit salad is packed full of bromelain, carotenoids, vitamins and enzymes with anti-inflammatory properties and immune system benefits.
Ingredients
1 pineapple